Prof. Nana-Akyaa Yao Honoured with Ghana Women of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award
Story: Grace Baaba Sam
Renowned paediatric cardiologist Prof. Nana-Akyaa Yao has been honoured with the Ghana Women of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her exceptional contribution to paediatric cardiac care and the treatment of children with heart diseases in Ghana.
Prof. Nana-Akyaa Yao, reputed as the first and only female paediatric cardiologist in Ghana, returned to the country in 2012 after years of professional practice abroad to establish a dedicated paediatric cardiology service for children. She holds accreditation from the Joint Royal College of Physicians Training Board in the United Kingdom.
She currently serves as an Associate Professor in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Cardiology at the University of Cape Coast Medical School and the University of Ghana Medical School.
She also works at the National Cardiothoracic Centre, the Department of Child Health at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and the University of Ghana Medical Centre in Accra.
Before relocating to Ghana, she gained extensive experience to establish a dedicated paediatric cardiology service alongside the already existing paediatric cardiac surgical services for children.
Driven by her passion for improving children’s heart health, Prof. Nana-Akyaa Yao and her team have performed life-saving procedures for children with severe heart conditions, including the critical procedure known as Balloon Atrial Septostomy for babies born with life-threatening heart disease.
She has also played a key role in initiating and supervising formal training in paediatric cardiology in Ghana, a programme approved by the Ghana College of Physicians and the West African College of Physicians.
In collaboration with international partners such as Boston Children’s Hospital, Qatar Charity, Kinderherzen, the Gerald Asamoah Foundation, and Global Heart Partnerships, more than 100 life-saving cardiac procedures have been performed for children at the National Cardiothoracic Centre and the University of Ghana Medical Centre.
Prof. Nana-Akyaa Yao is also the convener of the Little Hearts Foundation, a charity that supports children with heart problems and raises funds for cardiac surgeries for children in Ghana and abroad.
Over the years, she has received several honours including the Ghana Outstanding Women Award 2020, Africa Healthcare Awards 2021, Ghana Paediatric Excellence Award 2022, and the Eagle Awards 2024.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises her immense contribution to Ghana’s healthcare sector and her dedication to saving the lives of children with heart conditions.
